With Mayor Parker making draft prediction, O’Brien knows how important football is to Houston

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With the draft looming Thursday, even Houston mayor Annise Parker offered her two-cents worth, saying she liked “the Texas A&M quarterback” – Johnny Manziel – but that she thought the Texans would take Jadeveon Clowney with the first pick and trade for a quarterback. Told that, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien said after Wednesday’s practice, “Well, when her term is up, maybe she can come work for us.”

But O’Brien said Her Honor’s interest is another reminder how important the Texans matter to the town.

“I think it’s a great city where people really care about football,” he said. “All the fans I see when I’m out there in public, in a restaurant or wherever, I always tell them (our) guys are working really hard to field a winning football. We know how important football is here in Houston. We’re very well aware of that.”

Asked if a political figure had ever second-guessed his coaching decisions, the former Penn State coach laughed.

“Oh yeah,” he said. “I’m sure the governor of Pennsylvania had a few thoughts on some of my fourth-down calls over the last two years.”